Unlocking the Power of Video Marketing Using Behavioral Science

It’s a common misconception that humans make decisions based on logical analysis of the options at hand. The truth is that we process information through two parts of the brain – the neocortex and the limbic system -- and the factors that move us from inaction to action are less based in thought than you’d expect.

Here’s a basic rundown of what each of these systems do:

The neocortex is the part of the brain that understands language and dense information. It’s highly analytical, but also very slow.

The limbic system, on the other hand, is very fast and automatic. It is very good at processing visual information and generating emotions like trust and loyalty to tip us over from feeling to action. This is where decisions are primarily made.

An effective way to illustrate the difference between these two parts of the brain is to consider sports fans, as they tend to be a very loyal and emotional segment. Let’s say your friend is a diehard Giants fan. It’s his team – he went to the games with his dad growing up, he goes with his kids now, he’s had the same football buddies for the past 20 years. There’s a lot of nostalgia and familiarity built into why he chooses, every season, to cheer for the Giants.

Now, say the Giants play one Sunday and things just aren’t clicking. They’re missing passes, running sloppy plays. To a viewer who feels no sense of team loyalty to the Giants, it’s clear why they’re not going to win; they’re simply not playing well.

But your friend, who feels a bond with the team, decides the Giants lost because the referee was making bad calls the whole game. It’s a simple comparison that shows how emotion provides the basis for human reason. Your friend is loyal to the Giants and that emotional connection is based on trust and respect and a sense of ownership. It’s his limbic system processing the facts of the game through the filter of his emotions.

Feelings and decision-making go hand-in-hand

Given the immense influence that emotion has over our decision-making behavior, it’s no surprise that marketers are constantly striving to tap into consumers’ emotional responses more so than catering to their logic. This subliminal level of distinction becomes especially important when someone is selecting between comparable items.

An excellent case of emotion-driven marketing comes from Nike’s partnership with Serena Williams. She’s a recognizable face, a force on the tennis court and a widely regarded role model. When Nike created a social media graphic around her, they opted for her black and white headshot and just three bold lines of copy: “Overpower. Overtake. Overcome.”

The advertising message is clear. That Williams is someone who has dominated on the court and in her life, and leaves the consumer to presume that they too can achieve that level of drive with Nike gear. It’s a tried and true advertising formula that’s worked for decades. But compare that one visual spot to Nike’s latest advert featuring Williams, this time shared online as a powerful multi-sensory video.

Again we see a limited color palate and minimal copy, but now they’re accompanied by a dramatic score and a delayed payout. You don’t actually see Williams’ face until the very end, when the entire message comes together and she’s declared the greatest athlete of all time. It’s an impactful and emotional culmination only possible through the dynamic capabilities of video.

Video provides a pathway to deeper engagement

Everyone knows that humans are visual creatures. But you might be surprised to learn just how visual -- 90% of the information we take in is done visually. It’s also processed faster and remembered 40% more reliably than text. That statistic increases to 68% retention when both audio and visual senses are stimulated.

Why is this? Because humans have been processing visual information for millions of years whereas we’ve only learned to deal in written communication over the past several hundred years. Our brains are hardwired to absorb and process visual data.

In order to be effective, video doesn’t rely on an abundance of text to convey complex ideas. Instead it engages viewers with a dynamic yet simple audio-visual experience. Video also gives the marketer full control to tell a multi-sensory story that steers the viewer into feeling one way or another. Most importantly, it gives marketers the tools to efficiently establish trust.

Personalized Video builds trust and maximizes conversion

If 60 seconds of video is worth 1.8 million words, imagine the impact of Personalized Video. The hyper-relevant information in a Personalized Video, pulled from customer data most brands already have on hand, establishes an even deeper emotional connection between brand and consumer compared to standard video alone.

Take for example the video campaign shown below, created for Mondelez International/Cadbury Glow using Idomoo’s Personalized Video Technology. The use of the viewer’s name is immediately attention grabbing, and shortly thereafter it’s clear that all of the imagery within the video has been tailored to that one specific individual. Photos of the viewer’s own cherished moments are seamlessly woven into the brand story, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the video experience.

Because of Personalized Video, Cadbury, who has millions of customers, was easily and efficiently able to engage with each one on a personal and emotional level. The video contained virtually zero ad copy, and yet overwhelmingly succeeded to impress feelings of warmth, love and excitement. It was all done through personalized audio-visual cues.

The bottom line…

Of course a company could communicate with new clients through an extensive welcome brochure steeped in jargon and complicated wording, but it wouldn’t do anything to forge a connection or positive customer experience. Quite the opposite, dense text can actually feel confusing, frustrating clients and seriously damaging the overall brand relationship.

The psychology of emotional marketing tells us, however, that it’s best practice to appeal to someone through trust, loyalty and other positive feelings.

Marketers can effectively get to the heart of their message – and the heart of their consumers – in 60 seconds with Personalized Video. Not only does custom video offer a multi-sensory experience, but all information can be tailored specifically to the viewer, ensuring a strong emotional connection. And, truthfully, a connection like that is a rarity in today’s world, where we’ve moved away from face-to-face interactions in favor of quicker, more cost-effective digital ones. A highly-targeted, dynamic video experience is designed to thrive in our digital landscape while also engaging a viewer on a level closer to individualized conversation than anything else around.

Whether a video aims to explain a phone bill, renew an insurance policy or simply drive product sales, customers are put at ease knowing they are being spoken to on a highly relevant, nearly conversational level. And that sense of ease translates to brand trust, which in turn drives conversion.

If you found this useful and you'd like to learn how to take advantage of the latest trends in a fast-paced and ever-evolving marketing landscape, we invite you to download a copy of our "How to stay ahead of the game in the marketing industry" guide for CMOs

Article by Alexandra Gehringer

Alex is Senior Creative Marketing Writer at Idomoo. Her goal is to give brands and marketers the information they need to achieve peak customer engagement. Through compelling, highly-relevant marketing initiatives built around Idomoo's Personalized Video Technology, she believes every brand can create an emotional, one-to-one connection with their customers.